Our Teachers, Juguemos a Cantar - Spanish for Kids - Juguemos A Cantar

Our Team

Our teachers and staff come from different countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart.
"A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others"
(Mustafa Kemal Atatürk). This is who we are.

Alejandra Novillo

Alejandra, Founder and Director of Juguemos a Cantar was born on December 26 in Argentina. Alejandra came to the US in the mid-nineties and received her Masters Degree in International Law and Trade from Fordham University. After working in a law firm for some years, she realized her true calling to work with young children and founded Juguemos a Cantar in 2001. Alejandra is head Music Instructor in addition to work within the administration of the school. Alejandra has two beautiful fully bilingual children.
Alejandra-n@juguemos.org
Photo by Barbara Corella Photographers

Cecilia Reymundo Roberts

Cecilia, Director of Administration is from Argentina and lives with her husband and three sons in Tampico, Mexico. She is a CPA and has a degree in Business Administration. She loves to read, sing, run / walk and invite family and friends to her house. She prefers to live in places with year round hot weather. She also loves to travel; last year she went on a 10 day-horseback riding across the Andes!
Cecilia@juguemos.org

Patricia Linardi Monte

Patricia, Director of After School Pogram and Summer Camp at Juguemos a Cantar, started her career in her native country of Argentina in 1989 where she practiced her profession for ten years in an Elementary School. She came to the United States in 2001 and she has been working since then in Catherine MCauley High School where she became the Head of the Foreign Language Department. In 2004 Patricia joined Juguemos a Cantar and has been bringing in all her energy, creativity, and love to the classes. Additionally, Patricia has a Masters Degree in Teaching Spanish as Second Language.
Patricia@juguemos.org

Luli Cripppa

Ethel Crippa, known as Luli, is part of our Preschool team. She is Head teacher & Teacher Supervisor & On site Supervisor of our Spanish Immersion Preschool. Luli was born and grew up in Argentina. She graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary School Education and later received a Masters Degree in Social Work. As a professional in the educational field, she decided to focus on early childhood education. In 2001, she moved to New York with her husband and daughter. Since 2006 she has been working with Juguemos a Cantar. Luli enjoys working with young children while using Spanish as a cultural venue. luli@juguemos.org
Photo by Barbara Corella Photographers

Claudia Taylor-Reid

Claudia is our Educational Director. Claudia has been working for more than 30 years in Early Childhood.
Claudia@juguemos.org

Jenny Pellot

Jenny is part of our Preschool team. She is a native New Yorker, who as a little girl moved to the island of Puerto Rico, where she lived for 13 years. There, she began her background in music and in the education field by teaching dance and singing in the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico’s Chorus. She returned to NY in the late 1990’s and earned a Degree of Science in Elementary Education and a Montessori Certification for Early Childhood Education. Her love for children and music brought her to Juguemos in 2012. She has 2 children of her own, who share her love for music and passion for the arts.
Photo by Barbara Corella Photographers

Teresa Amendola

Teresa is part of our Preschool team. Teresa, known as Tere, was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she graduated with a Teaching Degree in Early Childhood Education. Tere has a comprehensive background in early childhood education. Her career has enabled her to work with diverse populations, including students with physical disabilities as well as emotional difficulties from various ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. She has excellent skills in dealing with parents and addressing the personal needs of children. Tere came to New York in 2000 with her son and has worked at Juguemos a Cantar since 2012.
Photo by Barbara Corella Photographers

Ynes Vargas

Ynes has recently joined our team and comes from the Dominican Republic. She has over 30 years experience working with children in several educational institutions, in both public and private school systems, including 8 years in an internationally known Montessori private school in the Dominican Republic. Ynes has a dual Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education/Elementary & Secondary Education. We are thrilled to have such an experienced teacher joining us.

Norma Villalba

Norma joined Juguemos a Cantar in 2013. Norma was born and raised in Mexico, and came with her family to the US, where she finished High School. Norma works in our office and is studying Accounting. We are very happy to have Norma in our team.

Iñigo Galdeano Las Heras

Íñigo is our Music Instructor. He was born in Estella, a beautiful town in Northern Spain, where he was introduced to music at an early age. After graduating in Saxophone and Music Education from Conservatorio Pablo Sarasate and Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, he combined his passion for teaching and performing professionally for several years. In 2010, the Príncipe de Viana institution awarded Íñigo a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After completing a Masters degree in Jazz Studies at Indiana University, Íñigo moved to New York City, where he currently keeps a busy schedule: as an educator, as the digital catalogue specialist at the indie jazz label ESP-Disk' and performing with artists such as João Martins or Rini.

Siomara Narvaez

Siomara is our Yoga instructor. Born in Colombia, has been teaching Yoga for a long time. Joined Juguemos in 2014, has been a delight to have in our classroom. "I feel incredibly grateful to be able to do what I love and to share it with others. When I discovered Yoga, I rediscovered myself and it is with that in mind that I am devoted to create a safe space where you can explore the deepest places on your own practice, get loose, shake off your inhibitions and judgements while challenging yourself on a physical and emotional level. One of the biggest desires of my heart is to see you Being The Best Version Of Yourself. A joyful, successful, loving, creative, healthy You -anything else you wish to add".

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